Book Addict

For Book Addicts BY a Book Addict

Book Addict

For Book Addicts BY a Book Addict

Sci-Fi

Tracking Down the Truth: Death Becomes Her (And the Cocktail That Matches Her Attitude)

The Cocktail Correspondent

By The Cocktail Correspondent

Alright, here’s what I’ve been tracking down this week: Death Becomes Her by Michael Anderle. Book 1 of a 21-book series called The Kurtherian Gambit that keeps popping up in my feeds like it’s trying to tell me something.

Military sci-fi. Vampires. Aliens. A protagonist named Bethany Anne who apparently doesn’t take shit from anyone.

Time to do what I do: dig through the internet’s collective opinion and figure out what the hell is actually going on with this series.

THE INTEL (FACTS ONLY)

WHAT I FOUND (THE LEGWORK)

I spent the last 48 hours reading through hundreds of Goodreads reviews, Amazon customer feedback, and Reddit arguments. Here’s what readers are actually saying when they think nobody’s watching.

The “Fast Food Fiction” Debate

One Goodreads reviewer called it “fast-paced stereotype-laden action romp that tickles most of the fancies even as it fails to nourish.” They literally compared it to fast food – and then gave it 3+ stars anyway.

Here’s the thing: they’re not wrong, and they don’t care.

The same reviewer admits the dialogue “reads out of a cliché manual” but still enjoyed it. Why? Because the energy is there. The pace doesn’t let up. And sometimes you just want a burger instead of a seven-course meal.

Multiple reviewers on both Goodreads and Amazon use phrases like “popcorn fiction” and “guilty pleasure” – but they’re finishing all 21 books. So who’s really winning here?

The Bethany Anne Factor

Every single review mentions the protagonist. EVERY. SINGLE. ONE.

“Strong female lead” comes up constantly. So does “aggressive,” “doesn’t apologize,” and my personal favorite: “creative cursing that would make the battle-hardened blush.”

One Amazon reviewer wrote: “I’ve fallen in love with the characters. Bethany Anne is such a strong female lead. She grows so much from this book and in the books going forward.”

Another Goodreads reader said she’s “not trying to be likable – she’s trying to survive and win.”

Translation: She’s not a Mary Sue. She’s not perfect. She’s competent, angry, and unapologetic about both. In 2015, that was apparently refreshing enough to launch a 21-book series.

The Audiobook Secret Weapon

Here’s where it gets interesting.

I kept seeing comments about the audiobook version being superior to reading it. Not just “good” – BETTER. Multiple sources saying Emily Beresford’s narration “makes or breaks the experience.”

One Goodreads reviewer straight-up said: “I suspect that I like it more because I listened to the equally high-energy narration within the audiobook. I also suspect that any number of editing sins can be swept under the rug this way, too.”

That’s not a subtle hint. That’s readers telling you: if you’re going to try this series, start with the audio.

AudioFile Magazine even reviewed it, noting that “Narrator Emily Beresford obviously likes the heroine… as evidenced by the narration notes at its end and the great energy.”

The Reddit Reality Check

Over on Reddit’s r/printSF, the debates are exactly what you’d expect: “Is this REAL sci-fi?”

Some readers swear by it. Some dismiss it as “not literature.” Everyone agrees it’s fast-paced. The arguments go in circles, which tells me one thing: it’s divisive enough to be interesting.

Nobody’s arguing about bad books. They’re arguing about books that don’t fit neat categories.

What I’m NOT Finding

  • BookTok: Surprisingly quiet. No viral videos, no trending sounds, nothing.
  • YouTube BookTube: A few scattered reviews, nothing with significant views.
  • Mainstream book coverage: Zero. Zilch. No reviews from major publications.

This is pure word-of-mouth, reader-to-reader recommendations. No marketing machine. No publicity push. Just 8,954 Goodreads users and thousands of Amazon reviewers telling each other “you need to read this.”

That kind of staying power – 9+ years after publication, still actively discussed – doesn’t happen by accident.

MY ANALYSIS (BASED ON THE EVIDENCE)

After tracking down all this intel, here’s what the pattern tells me:

This series has legitimate staying power. You don’t get 21 books, active reader communities nearly a decade later, and thousands of reviews without delivering something readers want.

It’s intentionally divisive. People either binge the entire series in weeks or bounce off book one. There’s very little middle ground. That’s not a bug – that’s Anderle knowing exactly who his audience is and writing directly to them.

The audiobook is the secret sauce. Multiple independent sources cite Beresford’s narration as transformative. If you’re on the fence, that’s your answer: try the audio first.

The protagonist is doing the heavy lifting. Bethany Anne isn’t likable in the traditional sense – she’s competent, ruthless when needed, and doesn’t apologize for either. Readers are responding to that authenticity.

“Fast food fiction” is both criticism and praise. Some readers want literary depth. Others want entertainment that doesn’t make them work for it. Anderle picked his lane and stayed in it. The review numbers suggest that lane is more crowded than the critics want to admit.

THE QUESTION NOBODY’S ASKING

Why 21 books?

Seriously. Most series tap out at 5-7 books before authors run out of steam or readers lose interest. This series kept going for TWENTY-ONE books in the main storyline, plus spin-offs.

Either Anderle built a universe compelling enough to sustain that kind of output, or readers are more addicted than they’re willing to admit in public reviews.

Based on the evidence? It’s both.

THE VERDICT

Read if: You want fast-paced entertainment with a kickass female protagonist, don’t mind “action movie in book form” pacing, and can commit to a long series.

Skip if: You need literary prose, hate genre mash-ups, or get frustrated by books that prioritize pace over polish.

Start with the audiobook if: You’re skeptical. Emily Beresford’s narration seems to be what tips fence-sitters into series bingers.

Fair warning: This is book 1 of 21. If you get hooked, clear your calendar.

THE COCKTAIL: “THE BETHANY ANNE”

Because if I’m reporting on a vampire who fights aliens, I’m making a damn drink about it.

Ingredients:

  • 2 oz bourbon (American, direct, doesn’t apologize)
  • 1/2 oz blood orange liqueur (vampire vibes, obviously)
  • 3/4 oz fresh lemon juice (the snark everyone keeps mentioning)
  • 1/2 oz simple syrup
  • Dash of aromatic bitters
  • Blood orange slice for garnish

Instructions:

  1. Combine bourbon, blood orange liqueur, lemon juice, and simple syrup in shaker with ice
  2. Shake hard (like you’re fighting aliens in a government black site)
  3. Strain into rocks glass over fresh ice
  4. Add dash of bitters on top
  5. Garnish with blood orange slice
  6. Don’t apologize for drinking before noon

Tasting notes: Strong, tart, unapologetic. Pairs well with audiobooks and questionable life choices.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Based on reader consensus across platforms: This series delivers exactly what it promises. It’s not pretending to be literary fiction. It’s fast-paced action with a protagonist who doesn’t play nice and doesn’t care if you like her.

According to 8,954 Goodreads reviewers, thousands of Amazon readers, and an active community nearly a decade later, that’s enough.

Bring receipts or bring nothing.

— The Cocktail Correspondent

Got intel on a book that needs investigating? Drop it in the comments with links to actual discussions. If you just say “it’s good,” I’m ignoring you.

Cocktail pairing suggestions welcome if you’ve actually made them. No Pinterest fantasies.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *